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A structural battery includes an anode, cathode and electrolyte which, taken collectively, have sufficient mechanical strength to allow the battery to be used as a structural component of an article of manufacture. The combined anode, cathode and electrolyte have a stiffness between 10 MPa-1000 GPa,

A structural battery includes an anode, cathode and electrolyte which, taken collectively, have sufficient mechanical strength to allow the battery to be used as a structural component of an article of manufacture. The combined anode, cathode and electrolyte have a stiffness between 10 MPa-1000 GPa, and in certain instances have a stiffness between 50 MPa-100 GPa. Also disclosed are solid electrolytes which may be used in structural batteries. The electrolytes are comprised of salts dissolved in a solvent such as a body of polymeric material. The electrolyte has good ionic conductivity and good mechanical properties. The solid electrolyte may be comprised of a body of uncrosslinked polymer or an at least partially crosslinked polymer such as a multifunctional polymer having segments comprised of linear resins and segments comprised of crosslinking resins. Also disclosed are methods for manufacturing the structural batteries.

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The invention claimed is: 1. A battery used as a structural element in a device in which the battery is incorporated, the battery comprising: an anode; a cathode; and a solid electrolyte; wherein the combined anode, cathode and solid electrolyte forms a rigid unit and the rigid unit that consists e

The invention claimed is: 1. A battery used as a structural element in a device in which the battery is incorporated, the battery comprising: an anode; a cathode; and a solid electrolyte; wherein the combined anode, cathode and solid electrolyte forms a rigid unit and the rigid unit that consists essentially of the anode, the cathode, and the solid electrolyte collectively possesses a compressive stiffness of at least 10 MPa. 2. The battery of claim 1, wherein said combined anode, cathode and solid electrolyte collectively possesses a compressive stiffness of at least 100 MPa. 3. The battery of claim 1, wherein said combined anode, cathode and solid electrolyte possesses a compressive stiffness in the range of 50 MPa to 100 GPa. 4. The battery of claim 1, wherein the combined anode, cathode and solid electrolyte possesses a failure strength of at least 1 MPa. 5. The battery of claim 1, wherein said combined anode, cathode and solid electrolyte possesses a failure strength of at least 10 MPa. 6. The battery of claim 1, wherein said combined anode, cathode and solid, electrolyte possesses a failure strength in the range of 1 MPa to 10 GPa. 7. The battery of claim 1, wherein said battery has an energy density of at least 0.1 J/cc. 8. The battery of claim 1, wherein the solid electrolyte has a stiffness of at least 1 MPa. 9. The battery of claim 1, wherein one of the anode and the cathode has a stiffness of at least 1 MPa. 10. The battery of claim 1, wherein the solid electrolyte has an ionic conductivity of at least 10−9 S/cm. 11. The battery of claim 1, wherein the solid electrolyte includes a polymer. 12. The battery of claim 11, wherein the polymer is at least partially crosslinked. 13. The battery of claim 12, wherein the polymer comprises from about 25 weight percent comb units to about 75 weight percent comb units. 14. The battery of claim 1, wherein said solid electrolyte comprises oligo(oxyethylene) units. 15. The battery of claim 1, wherein said solid electrolyte-has a compressive stiffness of at least 1 MPa and an ionic conductivity of at least 10−9 S/cm. 16. The battery of claim 1, wherein the solid electrolyte comprises a body of polymeric material which includes linear resins which form comb polymer segments, and crosslinking monomers which form a continuous network. 17. The battery of claim 16, wherein said linear resins include vinyl esters. 18. The solid electrolyte of claim 17, wherein said vinyl esters comprise vinyl ester derivatives of polyethylene glycol. 19. The solid electrolyte of claim 16, wherein said linear resins comprise acrylate groups or methacrylate groups. 20. The solid electrolyte of claim 19, wherein said linear resins comprise acrylate groups. 21. The solid electrolyte of claim 19, wherein said linear resins comprise methacrylate groups. 22. The battery of claim 1, wherein the solid electrolyte has an ionic conductivity of at least 10−7 S/cm. 23. A battery used as a structural element in a device in which the battery is incorporated, the battery comprising: an anode; a cathode; and a solid polymer electrolyte that comprises from about 25 weight percent comb units to about 75 weight percent comb units, is a solid at room temperature, has a stiffness of at least 1 MPa and has an ionic conductivity of at least 10−9 S/cm; wherein the combined anode, cathode and solid electrolyte forms a rigid unit wherein the rigid unit that consists essentially of the anode, the cathode and the solid electrolyte collectively possesses a compressive stiffness of at least 10 MPa and a failure strength of at least 1 MPa.